LGBTI Health Alliance announces policy on medical intervention

THE LGBTI Health Alliance has issued a policy on the medical necessity of gender affirmation, making a statement on the rights and needs of trans*, intersex and gender-diverse people around medical intervention.

Acting executive director Andrew Little referred to research into the health benefits of this and said the Sex Discrimination Amendment Bill may protect from indirect discrimination caused by financially prohibiting them from accessing medical intervention.

“Failure to provide coverage for necessary medical care requested by intersex, trans* and gender-diverse people should be considered in light of the SDA protection from indirect discrimination,” Little said.

The policy also condemned unwanted and forced medical intervention, and Little highlighted the ongoing issues of forced sterilisation and normalising genital surgery on intersex infants.

“Many intersex people in Australia have been subjected to medical intervention without their own fully informed consent,” he said.

The policy was developed with input from the LGBTI Health Alliance’s Intersex, Trans and Gender Diverse Working Group, which included Sally Goldner from Transgender Victoria.

“We believe [the policy] sends a critical message and acts as a means of building communication and rapport with both individual health professionals and professional bodies, ultimately achieving fairer and more respectful treatment for trans and gender diverse people (amongst others),” Goldner told the Star Observer.

The Star Observer has contacted Organisation Intersex International (OII) Australia for additional comment.